1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an apparatus for protectively storing and displaying sports and other types of caps such as baseball caps characterized by a crown and a bill. More particularly, the present invention is directed to an apparatus for holding these caps open and in a clear transparent display to protect and preserve the caps.
2. Description of Related Art
Sports caps such as baseball, golf, and racing caps and the like are collected by many people who wish to safekeep and display the caps in a manner that fully displays and protects the caps. Many companies give similar caps to customers to advertise and promote their products and people may also wish to display these caps. Such caps, hereinafter referred to as caps, are characterized by a front bill attached to a crown, wherein the crown is often, but not always, creased so as to allow a back half of the crown to be folded into itself. Protective holders have been developed to house a cap so that the form of the cap is retained during carriage and storage and some modicum of protection for the cap is provided. A form retaining holder or case for storing a visored cap is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,012,531 provides an upper shell and a lower shell, both shell portions sized and adapted to accommodate a visored type cap, such as used in the game of baseball, when the back portion of the cap is folded forwardly into the interior of the front portion of the cap. This holder interposes a cap having its crown half folded in on itself between upper and lower shells. The upper and lower shells are connected by a fastener and by a lip on the lower surface of the visor portion of the upper shell wherein the lip is adapted to engage the visor of lower shell therein. Though protection is afforded the cap, it is not displayed to its fullest extent, so that the outside and the inside of the crown is fully viewable. Since the crown of the cap is folded undesirable fold lines may develop which may decrease the monetary as well as the aesthetic value of the cap. Furthermore, there is no way to place this holder flat with respect to the bottom rim of the crown for the purpose of displaying the cap. Therefore, it is highly desirable to have a clear protective cap holder that fully displays and holds the form of the crown. Towards this end, the present invention was developed.